The rocky embankment on which both H foetidus and H argutifolius flourish looks as unlikely as any habitat to nurture plants of any kind much less the unusual collection which have lived here for years. It is an exposed steep slope with rocks and stones embedded in what looks like sub soil but that hasn't put the plants off in the slightest. It isn't near any housing either so although this Mediterranean introduction undoubtedly originated from a garden or park it's hard to tell where from. The advice was to go in March but this year at least they have all flowered in mid February and will be largely finished by mid March.

H. argutifolius has escaped here and there in the British Isles without establishing large concentrations. It is mostly found in the south of England, a little in Scotland one site in Ireland but never recorded in Wales.

Helleborus argutifolius Corsican Hellebore Embankment near Stow-in-the-Wold, Gloucestershire 15th February 2005 Previous   Next	Helleborus argutifolius Corsican Hellebore Embankment near Stow-in-the-Wold, Gloucestershire 15th February 2005 Previous   Next
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Embankment near Stow-in-the-Wold, Gloucestershire 15th February 2005

Added on February 17th 2005, updated 5th February 2009, updated 6th April 2010, updated 13th Nov 2014